A Grade II-listed gatehouse in Sussex which was built for spectators to watch Henry VIII’s hunts has hit the market for £2 million.
Located in the village of Hartfield, eight miles from Tunbridge Wells, the property was once the gatehouse to the former Bolebroke Castle.
The castle, built in 1480, was used by Henry VIII as a hunting lodge, and is said to be where he courted Anne Boleyn, who lived at nearby Hever Castle. Bolebroke Castle’s interiors were used as a film location in The Other Boleyn Girl.
The Tudor gatehouse, three storeys high, is thought to have been designed as a viewing gallery for spectators of the hunt. It was built in the sixteenth century.
Approached by a half-mile-long driveway, the “handsome and intriguing” gatehouse is a brick building flanked by two octagonal turrets, each topped with a curved cupola.
The original studded oak front door sits within a brick arch —although it is no longer the front door— while casement windows on the two upper floors provide views over the garden.
Today, the gatehouse, where people would have watched Henry VIII catch deer and wild boar 450 years ago, has been converted into an “exceptional home”, according to Hamptons, who are listing the property.
An adjoining single-storey brick building was added to the historic gatehouse at a later date, expanding the living space to a total of 3,068 sq ft.
As a result, the property is mainly arranged on one level. At one end is the main living space: a large, open plan room with a vaulted ceiling and exposed wooden beams.
There is a study, located on a mezzanine level, a playroom, two bedrooms and three bathrooms.
The kitchen is divided from the dining room by an open arch with a wooden frame. One of the two turrets contains a utility room, and the other a winding oak staircase, which leads to the two bedrooms above.
In this historic part of the building, both bedrooms are accessed by heavy wooden doors, with ensuites located inside one of the turrets.
The top bedroom, with a high, vaulted ceiling, also contains a brick fireplace.
Outside, there is just over half an acre of land, which contains landscaped gardens, private parking, a wood store and shed.
“The property is ideally positioned to enjoy the beauty and serenity of the wonderful location, yet it is not at all isolated,” says Hamptons. “[It has] lovely, far-reaching views to the south.”
The gatehouse has been occupied by the current owners since 2002, when they bought it for £785,000, according to Land Registry records.
Bolebroke Castle, on the other hand, was used as a hotel in recent years and is now a private residence.
The gatehouse is not the only property with a connection to Henry VIII to hit the market lately.
In 2016, Little Gaddesden Lodge in Hertfordshire —also used for hunting— was listed for £1.35 million.
The following year, the Grade I-listed Barsham Manor, which the Tudor monarch purportedly referred to as his “small country palace”, was put up for sale for £3 million.
Last year, a Grade II-listed cottage built by his former advisor was auctioned for just £1.
